inculturation

Inculturation is the process by which a person or community expresses beliefs, values, and practices within the terms of their own culture, or how a culture absorbs ideas introduced from another culture. In religious contexts, especially in Christian theology, inculturation refers to presenting and living the gospel in a way that is intelligible within a local culture while preserving essential doctrines. It involves translating concepts into local languages, fitting liturgical forms to local rituals, and using local art, music, and social norms to convey faith, moral teaching, and worship. The aim is not cultural erasure but transformation that makes religious life meaningful within a cultural context.

In practice, inculturation includes adapting rites, clerical structures, catechesis, and mission strategies so they resonate with local values and life experiences. Catholic discourse since Vatican II emphasizes inculturation as a legitimate and important method of mission, encouraging dialogue between faith and culture. The concept also appears in other Christian traditions and more broadly in anthropology, where inculturation describes how beliefs and practices evolve as cultures influence each other—particularly in migration, globalization, and cross-cultural exchange. It is distinct from enculturation, the process by which individuals learn their native culture, and from acculturation, the broader adjustment of cultures through contact.

Challenges include guarding against syncretism or dilution of core beliefs while ensuring genuine participation, and respecting variety within a tradition. Examples often cited are local liturgical rites, arts, and social expressions that reflect a faith lived within a particular cultural milieu.